Dear Parisian beer lovers you probably heard of this new pub by the canal de l’Ourcq. It opened last June 2015 and serves in-house craft beers with names referring to the Parisian culture of the early 20th century. The idea of the PBC team was to make a good Craft Beer (which is usually rather a British or US style beer) with a French flavor. “It means giving some elegance to the taste”, Michael Kennedy said. Indeed the usual Craft Beer bitterness is balanced by a soft taste. But it does not reduce the strong aroma and flavors of the beers.

More than a pub, a great Parisian brewery

One of the pub’s flagship beers is a Pale Ale with a strange name: “oeil de biche” (literally eye of a doe). It refers to the recognition sign that the members of the famous Parisian criminal band “les Apaches” had tattooed on. Les Apaches were based in Belleville between the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, Michael explained us.

In short, the beer is refined and light with a sweet bitterness in aftertaste. It would be an excellent choice to start your evening at the PBC.

Another beer tribute to the Parisian “Belle Epoque” is the wheat saison beer “Casque d’or” named after Amélie Elie, a girl the two heads of rival Parisian criminal bands fought for in the 1910’s.

We let you do your own investigations for the Red Ale named “Singe en Hiver” and the excellent black IPA called “Bête Noire”. We especially recommend you to taste the PBC’s in-house sweet and soft IPA named “La Barge du Canal”.

“For everyone to be satisfied, you need to offer a variety of products which also promote specific territories”

Then, Michael Kennedy told us more about the origins of the PBC. He started with an observation: “more and more people consume locally and responsibly which means sometimes: paying more money but for a better quality.”

“For everyone to be satisfied, you need to offer a variety of products which also promote specific territories” he added.

Michael Kennedy wanted to create a craft microbrewery with partners. He had to find a head brewer. The idea of the PBC came 18 months ago after the visit of the future pub location and facilities, “the PBC has authentic and peculiar scenery matching well to the neighborhood” he said.

The PBC was first advised by two brewers Tom Palmer and Todd Matteson, who used to work at London Fields Brewery. The PBC produces today its own beers thanks to Benedict its head brewer. Trained and graduated from brewery schools in Munich and Berlin he brings on board a good balance between Bavarian traditional style and Berliner creativity, Michael said.

The path to craft beer

What about the story of the PBC’s boss? After a childhood in Australia, Michael Kennedy settled first in Ireland and then in France after a degree in hotel and food services. Maybe it was because of the French gastronomy and wine or for love?… We won’t comment further, this is off the record.

He launched the famous Oz café in Paris, rue Saint-Jacques in 1993. A second Oz followed quickly after… “I wanted to have Australian beers in my pubs so I served Fosters, RedBack and Coopers”, he said.

Then the Oz Canadian version, the Moose, was created few years later with a Canadian associate. It was a success for Michael Kennedy: “at that time, we thought French people usually did not really like beer and that they did only enjoy Kronenbourg. But today when I see sophisticated women with a pint in their hand debating on the beer taste… that’s crazy! ”, he said.

But what did bring Michael Kennedy to launch a Parisian Craft Beer temple?

A PBC spokesperson told us: “Michael was already very interested in the craft beer scene and wanted to foster and be a part of the budding beer community in Paris.” Oh yes!!!! We can’t wait for this to happen! 😉

So “Michael wanted PBC to bring back that Parisian pride in beer, a pride he was seeing in the States, Australia and the UK.” We hope he will achieve this objective very soon !

We would just remember this comment. Few years ago, he decided to serve draft Brooklyn Lager in the Moose. “I was afraid people would find it too expensive. Eventually I sold like 5 barrels in one week”, he remembered.
Then after some trips in Australia and the UK where he got to know how to manage microbreweries, he decided to make his own beer “for fun” that we can enjoy it now today in PBC.